Assam CM defends GoM’s ST report, says nothing in it can offend any community

Guwahati, Dec 1: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Monday, defended the Group of Ministers’ (GoM) report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities, asserting that the document contains nothing that could “offend” any section of people.

He said those protesting against it were doing so without fully reading or understanding the recommendations.

The GoM report on the demand for ST status by the Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes (Adivasis) was tabled in the Assembly on November 29, the final day of the Winter Session.

Speaking to the press in Nagaon, Sarma said the recommendations were framed to ensure balanced progress.

“There is nothing in the report that can offend anyone. It ensures that all communities and sub-communities progress together. If everyone reads the report thoroughly, they will realise that no injustice has been done. All sections will receive justice,” he said.

Responding to November 29’s violent demonstration by students at Bodoland University, who stormed the BTC Secretariat’s assembly hall in Kokrajhar and vandalised property while protesting the cabinet’s approval of the report, Sarma pointed out that the agitation occurred before the report was officially tabled.

“It was laid in the Assembly around 7 pm, and the protest was held at 3 pm. It means the demonstration occurred before the tabling of the report,” he said.

Earlier, to address the concerns, the cabinet has asked the three GoM ministers, namely Ranoj Pegu, Keshab Mahanta and Pijush Hazarika, to invite representatives of the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) for discussions and clarify the report’s contents.

“The aim is to dispel any misunderstanding,” the CM said.

CCTOA has been leading protests, arguing that inclusion of the six communities could harm the reservation benefits currently enjoyed by existing ST groups.

• To avoid affecting present ST communities, the report recommends a three-tier reservation classification, proposing:
• Creation of a new category ‘ST (Valley)’, including Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes and Koch-Rajbongshi (excluding undivided Goalpara);
• Inclusion of Moran, Matak and Koch-Rajbongshi (Goalpara) under ‘ST (Plains)’, where existing communities reportedly have “not much opposition”.

It emphasises continued dialogue with stakeholders and notes that any final decision must pass through Parliament via a constitutional amendment.

With both protests and counter assurances intensifying, the debate over ST status has emerged as one of Assam’s most politically charged issues heading into the 2026 Assembly polls.

PTI